samuel thomas



(No Model.)

W. S.. BRIGHT & S. THOMAS.

Grain Separators.

No. 231,992. PatenpL-LJSSO.

ORNEYS.

u. PETERS, PHOTO-UTMOGRAPNER, WASHINGTON. 0 c4 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

WILLIAM S. BRIGHT AND SAMUEL THOMAS, OF LETART, W. VA.

GRAlN-SEPARATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 231,992, datedSeptember '7, 1 880,

Application filed March 25, 1880.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that we, WILLIAM SANDERSON BRIGHT and SAMUEL THOMAS, ofLetart, in the county of Mason. and State of West Virginia, haveinvented a new and useful 1mprovemcnt in Grain-Separators, of which thefollowing is a specification.

Figure l is asectional side elevation of the improvement, taken throughthe line a: :r, Fig.

2. Fig. 2 is a sectional end elevation taken through the broken line y 33 y, Fig. 1.

The object of this invention is to furnish grain separators soconstructed that the light grain, the cheat, and chaff will be separatedfrom the grain by an air-blast, and the eockle and other small seedswill be separated by screens, and which shall be simple in constructionand rapid and effective in operation.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Arepresents the frame of the machine, to which is attached a spout,B,inclined upward and rearward at an angle of forty-f1ve degrees, (45 moreor less. WVith the lower end of the spout B is connected the case 0 of afanblower, the fans I) of which are attached to a shaft, ll, revolvingin bearin gs attached to the frame A. To the frame A and to the upperforward part of the spout B is attached the hopper F, from which thegrain passes into the spout B through a cross-slot in the middle part ofthe forward side of the said spout B.

The grain is fed out of the hopper F by radial pins G, attached to ashaft, H, which re volves in hearings in the sides of the said hopper F.The amount of grain fed out is regulated by a slide or gate, 1, whichslides upon the inclined upper side of the spout B, and has its lowerpart slotted for the passage of the pins Gr, so that the slide and pinswill not interfere with each other. The upper part of the slide I ismade narrower than the lower part, passes through a keeper, J, attachedto the upper side of the spout B, and its upper end is pivoted to theinner end of a lever, K..

The lever K is pivoted to the upper side of the spout B, and its outerend projects into such a position that it may be conveniently reachedand operat d by the operator.

As the grain escapes from the hopper F it is received upon theupwardly-inclined and slightlycurved fingers L, where it is exposed tothe blast of air from the fan-blower C D E, through which the grainfalls, while the chaff is blown through the spout B and out at the upperend of the said spout B. Any sticks, stones, and other heavy impuritiesthat can not be blown off by the air-blast slide down the fingers andescape through the slot in the upper side of the spout B below thehopper F, and through which the fingers L enter. The outer ends of thefingers L are attached to a board, M, which rests upon the upper side ofthe spout B and the case 0 of the fan-blower, where itis secured inplace by buttons N, pivoted to posts of the frame A, so that the fingersor rake L M can be readily detached when not required for use. When thefingers L M are detached the aperture through which they enter the spoutB is closed by a-slide, 0. The slide 0 rests upon the upper side of thespout B, and is slotted to receive the screw by which it is secured tothe said spout.

As the grain falls from the fingers L the cheat is blown up the spout B,strikes against the stop-board P, attached to the lower part of theupper end of the said spout B, and falls into the space between thelower side of the spout B and the board Q, placed parallel with and at alittle distance from the said lower side.

The lower end of the space between the board Q and the lower side of thespout B is closed by an' inclined bar, It, by which the cheat is made topass out through the spout S, secured in an aperture in the side of thespout B. The light and cut kernels of grain, heavier than cheat, fallupon the board Q, slide down it, and at its lower edge fallinto thespace be tween the lower side of the spout B and the board T, placedparallel with and at a little distance from the said lower side of thespout B.

Thelower end of the space between thelower side of the spout B and theboard T is closed by an inclined bar, U, which causes the light and cutkernels to pass out through the spoutV, secured in an aperture in theside of the spout B. The full plump kernels of grain fall upon theinclined board T, slide down it, and fall from its lower end into thespace between the lower side of the spout B and the board W, which isplaced at a greater inclination than the lower side of the said spout B,as shown in Fig. 1, to direct the air-blast more directly against thefingers L and the grain falling through them.

Thelowcr end of the space between thebottom of the spout B and the boardW is closed by an inclined bar, X, which causes the grain to pass intoand through the U-pipe Y.

The bottom of the spout B, beneath the board WV, is perforated withnumerous small holes, or is replaced by a perforated or wiregauze plate,Z, through which the cockle-sced and other small seeds that have notbeen removed by the air-blast escape, while the grain passes down to thepipe Y, and thence to the screen a. The screen a is made of perforatedsheet metal or wiregauzc in the form of a truncated cone, and receivesthe end of the pipe Y and the grain in its smaller end. The smaller endof the screen (I revolves in abearing, 1), attached to the frame A, andto the said screen, at alittle distance from its larger end, is attacheda cross-bar, 0, to the center of which is rigidly attached, or upon itisi'ormed, a shaft, (I. The shaft (1 is placed in line with the axis ofthe tapering screen a, and revolves in bearings in a bar, 0, attached tothe frame A.

\Vith this construction any cockleseeds or other small seeds that maystill remain in the grain escape through the apertures or meshes of thescreen a, and the grain is discharged from the open larger end of thesaid screen a.

In bearings attached to the upper rear part of the frame A revolvesthedriving-shat't f, to one end of which is attached a crank wheel orpulley, g. Motion is giy'en to the crank wheel or pulley g by hand or byany convenient power, and around the said crank wheel or pulley 9 passesan endless band, h, which also passes over a pulley, t', attached to theend of the stirrer-shaft H and around a pulley, j, attached to the endof the fan-shaft E.

The fans D E and the stirrer G Hare driven at different speed by makingthe pulleys j t' of different size.

X Vith the stirrer-pulley dis rigidly connected a small pulley, L,around which passes a band, I. The band 1 also passes around a pulley,m, attached to the end of the screen-shaft d to rotate the said screen.

If desired, the finger-screen L M may be pivoted inside the spout B, andconnected by a pitman with a pulley or wheel placed upon the fan-shaftE, so that the said finger-screen may be agitated by the revolution ofthe said fanshatt.

Having thus fully described our invention, we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent- The combination, in a grain-separator, withthe upwardly-inclined spout B, provided with settling-spouts, of thetan-blower C D E at its lower end, the hopper F, cormecting with spout Bat a point between its ends and the upwardly-inclined curved fingers L,arranged beneath thehopper, as described.

WIllhIAill SANDERSON BRIGHT. SAMUEL THOMAS.

Witnesses:

R. H. HAYMAN, C. W. SAGE.

